Reckoning: Chapter 58
by Michelle.Lee.PDX
Summary: Dru mourns the loss of her friend and sorcery teacher, Leander and takes comfort in her mentor Nadira. Dru and Christophe share a moment alone where the pressure is on Dru to make some decisions. Dru sees a vision of her family's past that reveals her aunt's identity.


"I hate politics." I sat on the couch in Nadira's office, holding my first cup of Joe in a month. I took a deep inhale. The smokey scent was comforting.

"Its human nature to be judgmental, milady. I'm afraid everything in our world is political." Nadira swirled her cup with a spoon as she spoke.

"But why does it have to be like that? Why can't we just live? Why can't the Maharaj and the Kourio and wulfen just stop being rude to each other?"

Nadira chuckled. "You have a good point, Dru. No one knows. That's just the way things are. But maybe you can do something about it?"

Maybe I could.

Nadira sat on the couch next to me and for the first time, put her arm around my shoulders. "I might not know you that well yet, but I see you are and I are pretty similar. You have a lot of determination and courage for someone of 18. That's what makes you unique, and beautiful." She looked at me with her brown eyes through her long lashes. I'd never seen this side of her before. It was surprising, but not in a bad type of way.

Nadira let go then squeezed my hands between hers. "How is Reynard doing?"

At that moment, I realized that I was so focused on my own situation that I totally neglected to think about Christophe. He and Leander were friends for a long time. The Maharaj's abrupt exit was probably upsetting to him. I immediately left Nadira's office and began my search for the djamphire. Without success for nearly an hour, I fiinally realized there was one place I had overlooked, Leander's classroom.

I ran down the stairs to the basement level of the schola. As I turned the handle of the heavy door to the room, I was hit by the familiar odors of the Maharaj potions. They were pungent, but also comforting like chai. The sounds of creatures in their glass houses echoed in the room. Even more noticeable was the ticking of the antique grandfather clock on the far wall.

I sniffed the air to see if the apple pie scent was present. Nada. That didn't mean he wasn't there though. The odor of Leander's room could overpower most anything even the intoxicating scent of Christophe Reynard.

I took my time as I walked around the room, looking at the objects on top of the small round tables. My eyes scanned the room, but I didn't see any visible sign of the brown-haired, blue-eyed one. However I sensed a presence in the room. I knew I wasn't alone. I continued looking around because I didn't sense any danger. No waxen orange candy today.

When I came to the table that displayed my mother's black and white cow-shaped cookie jar, I delicately touched its surface. I remembered how Mom used to bake oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to fill it.

Before I had a chance to move on to the next table a voice spoke up from across the room. "Are you surprised to see that here, milady?" I looked around but still didn't see anyone, however the voice gave away the speaker's identity. I knew it was Christophe.

"Yeah, I was." I kept glancing around the room for a sign of his location. "Leander wouldn't let me touch it for days. It drove me mad trying to figure out how it got here. When I finally got the chance to read it, I was surprised."

There was still no sign of him but the voice got louder and closer. "And you thought you were going to see a memory about your mother, Elizabeth."

I spun around thinking he was behind me but I still didn't see his form. "But instead the vision was about you." From only six feet away, the air started to thicken as a figure came into focus. The first thing my eyes focused on were his lips. His fangs were slightly peeking out from under his sly smile. His aspect waved through him as his nails lengthened and his hair changed from brown to blondish. His blue eyes twinkled in the low lights of the classroom. The scent of baked apple pie filled my senses.

He was beautiful as always but his eyes were a little sunken in and dark underneath. I could tell he was tired. He stepped to the table with the cookie jar on it. "May I ask what you saw?"

I wasn't sure if I wanted to disclose the full vision. I fibbed to protect his pride. "I saw you drawing in your journal... somewhere on the coast."

"Hmm." Christophe didn't say anything else. He seemed to be thinking deeply.

I was curious about the cookie jar still. "Christophe, why did the jar show me one of your memories and not Elizabeth's?"

He stepped close to me as he picked up and played with a curl of brown hair that laid on my shoulder. "Because it was mine first. I received it as a laugh from Augustine many decades ago. Beth thought it was funny so I gave it to her when she was still a young svetocha. I guess she kept it for sentimental reasons."

I half-smiled as he finished speaking.

"I have a sense of humor too, you know, kochana." Christophe's fingers brushed my cheek and rested on my left shoulder. "It's been a while since you and I have been alone." The hair on the back of my neck started to raise.

"Yes, uh, it's been months." His arms encircled my body and his hands caressed my shoulder blades. I tried to play it cool and act like he didn't have any effect on me. However my heart started to beat rapidly. "Um, I came down here to tell you that I'm sorry Leander left. Will you see him ever again?"

Christophe continued brushing my arms and back with his hands in a slow manner as he talked. "Tak, we'll meet again someday." He bent his head downward and touched his lips to my shoulder. A shiver ran through my body as my aspect flushed with emotion. He kissed the skin on my neck as he moved upward toward my ear. I was having a problem concentrating on our conversation and fumbled my words. "Uh, I'm different now, Christophe."

His lips slowly moved to caress the side of my face as he kissed my left cheek. "How different, little bird?"

"Well... I... uh... can do things with magic. Leander taught me..." My words hung in the air as I fought to articulate my thoughts. Christophe's hands were moving upward on my back as his lips descended and moved to my earlobe. "Binding hexes... mind control... telepathy... with Graves."

"Hmm, the loup." I nervously looked upward at the ceiling as Christophe started kissing my neck while he talked. "You two have a link. It seems he's taken a stronger interest in you lately." My mind was growing mushy as he continued. His hands grazed the outline of my sports bra through my sweater. "And did he tell you about his committments?"

It was then that I realized what he was doing. He was trying to seduce me. Or was he trying to change my feelings towards Graves? Or a little of both?

"If you're referring to the fact that he's matched to Jae-Hwa... then yes. I found that out through magic. As a matter of fact, you told me."

Christophe paused before speaking again."You know about my conversation with Ms. Park, don't you?"

"Yes, and I have to say, you're pretty damn clever, Chris. You wanted me to find out about the two of them by magic. You were relying on it. And what did you think I'd do, break off my friendship with Graves forever?"

Christophe's aspect waved and extended his fangs. He folded his hands behind his back.

I had to press the envelope further. "I just want to know, how did you get it into my room without anyone seeing?"

"What are you talking about, kochana?"

"Oh come on, Christophe. You planted the journal in my room."

He smiled at me as his nose pointed downwards at the floor. "Tak, I needed you to find the book. I wanted you to know… I'm still here for you, moj maly ptaszku."

"Lena was here that same night. Was she looking for it?"

"Tak."

"Why, what's in it?"

"It's not what is in it, but what it is." He paced in a circle.

"And what is it?" I was getting annoyed with him.

"Lena's book of hexes and spells. I took it from her when we bound her from doing evil. She's been searching for it since she was freed and I've been keeping it away from her."

"Pardon? Are you saying that I've been sleeping on top of Lena's book of spells for the past several months and didn't even know it?"

"Tak. That's true."

"Holy shit." Christophe had given me a ticking time bomb. Just why I wasn't sure, but I'd figure it out somehow. I quickly changed the topic of our conversation. "So, have you been meddling in Graves' and Jae-Hwa's relationship?"

"Not at all, milady. I am not hurting or helping those two out. I am purely looking out for your best interests. That has always been my objective. Don't you see?" He stepped closer to me and moved within a few inches of my face. He didn't touch me again but I sensed he wanted to badly. "I know the loup has stated his feelings toward you. Is that what want? Have you discussed with him how he would ensure your safety, kochana?"

"Jesus, Christophe. Enough of Twenty Questions." I picked up a vial of purple colored liquid and shook it angrily.

"Dru, why is the choice so difficult? You two cannot possibly have chemistry like us." He reached over and pulled me by the waist into his arms. Without warning, his lips pressed into mine so hard I let out a squeak. The kiss deepened as my legs became like noodles. As he gently pulled away, I realized that my head felt dizzy.

"Well, milady? I told you that I would wait, and I have. I gave you space, as you requested. I have been here for you, no matter what. Don't tell me you don't feel it, kochana."

"That's so not fair, Chris." I closed my eyes.

"It is not about fairness, Dru. This is about what feels right. And I know we are... right together. What you had, or have, with Graves is not real. It is just... puppy love. You need to know Dru, I am not a doormat, however I will always watch out for you. Before you make a decision, I just ask you to consider how your life would be if you went off with the loup. You two would be labeled as the trailblazers who broke the rules to be together. It would look selfish and foolish and you might regret your choice after seeing how people treated you both. Life could be simpler for us, Dru. Please just consider that."

My emotions were wild. I was pissed at him for telling me what I should feel but at the same time I knew he was right about the challenges Graves and I would face if we didn't conform to the expectations of our kinds. Doing what was expected was easier.

Before he left, the djamphire tipped his head and without waiting for my permission, gave me one last kiss. His lips were soft at first, then became firm. He didn't attempt to use his tongue but his mouth opened slightly as if he was inviting me inwards. It took all my willpower to not go deeper. I didn't want to prove him totally right. I knew there was something special between us. Whether that was something more special than what I had with Graves, I didn't know. As Christophe pulled away, his fangs brushed my lips. It was a reminder that we were the same.

"Come see me later, skowroneczko moja." As the door closed behind him, I was left alone to contemplate what the hell just happened.

As I started to leave the classroom, something caught my attention. On one small table was a note. It was addressed to Miss Dru. A gray colored box laid next to it.

"What's this?" I delicately opened the letter addressed to me.

Milady,

I pray this note finds you well. All will be known in time.

You have not been the keenest student I have trained but without a doubt you have been the most honest and true person I have ever met. You will go on to do such great things, rajkumari. I am certain of it.

-Levant Leander

P.S. – Read the Past.

I opened the lid of the gray box to find an unexpected item. Inside was a wrist watch. I picked up the object and stared at it. What the hell? It was an odd looking watch but I could tell it was somewhat of an throwback to the 80's. The strap was made of plastic and the face was yellow and black with random geometric shapes on it. I'd never seen anything like it, but realized it totally made sense. If my aunt was a teenager in the 1980's, she'd surely own one of these iconic watches. Every kid had one in those days. Some even wore two at a time. I had to laugh at the crazy trends of the past.

Leander's note said to read the past so as I held the watch in my hands, I spoke the incantation which conjured an old memory.

Twisted time passing through,

Bring the past into view.

The classroom scene swirled into liquid as I was pulled into history. The colors blurred and then clarified as I realized I was looking at my mother, Elizabeth, who looked about the age of twelve, as she played outside in the snow in the garden of the Prima. She seemed at peace at the moment and was busy making round balls of snow into some type of snowman. I realized I was watching her from behind a window which faced the interior of the schola.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" It was Leander's voice that spoke. "Once I cast this spell it is nearly impossible to undo. The memories will be deleted from everyone's minds, including your own. Is that really what you want?"

A young female voice responded after a long pause. "I have thought a lot about what this means. There is no other way for us to live happily. We have to go separate ways." I still couldn't see who the girl was because her back was facing me. The dark shadows of the room hid her face from my view. "She must stay here and become a trained svetocha, just as our parents wanted. That is her destiny." There was a sigh of sadness in her voice. "I can't stay here. This is not my world. I am human and I have to move on. She won't stay if she knew I was leaving. This is the only way, Leander. Will you do this?"

"Bhavatu. I can do this for your protection and for the preservation of the future." Leander walked away from the girl slowly leaving her to watch from the inside of the schola as her sister played happily outside, alone in the cold winter playground.

The scene swirled into another picture. Elizabeth was lying in bed and yawning. She looked up at her older sibling whose back was still to me. "Do you think Mommy and Daddy are in heaven?"

"I don't know, Beth. But I hope they are." She pulled the covers up to the little girl's neck.

"Will you go to sleep soon? I don't want to be alone for too long."

The teenager paused before speaking again. "Yes, Beth. I'll go to sleep soon, okay? I just have to go talk to the djamphire and Leander first. You know they promised to watch over us always. They are good people, just like Mom and Dad said."

Beth yawned again. "Okay, don't take to long. Love you, Dira." The two girls hugged for a long moment. I realized this was the last time they would see each other. This was their final goodbye before their memories were taken away by the Maharaja spell.

As the older girl stood up, her face turned slightly and I saw her profile. She quickly wiped a tear from her right cheek so Beth wouldn't see. I realized who she was. It was Nadira.

"Love you too, Beth. Sweet dreams." Nadira quietly turned off the light and left the room, shutting the door behind her. As she did, I realized that Leander, and all the Order members were waiting in the hallway for her. "Let's get this over with, Leander. Are you sure I won't remember any of this, including how we were ambushed by the nosferat? I don't want to know any of it. I just want to be ignorant and happy."

"Yes, Miss. We are willing to help you forget and replace your memories with happier ones. You will be normal, as you have stated."

Bruce spoke up with a hint of reservation in his voice. "Nadira, you realize none of us will remember you and you will have no real history. Do you understand?"

"I appreciate your effort to change my mind. Of this I am certain. Beth is Kourio and she belongs here with her own kind."

"But you are her own sister. You are her kind, if I can be so forward." Hiro spoke up apologetically.

Nadira cleared her throat. She was amazingly articulate for a teenage girl. "I am her sister, half to be exact, and I am one hundred percent human. Beth isn't. There is no other choice, gentlemen. Thanks for your help. Please take care of her for me and for my parents. Beth will always be loved." The members of the Order nodded in silent agreement.

Leander positioned Nadira in the center of the gathering. "We shall meet again, Miss. It has been a pleasure." He handed her a small bottle. "Please drink this potion and then close your eyes. You shall remember… nothing of your time in the Real World. Peace be with you."

Nadira did as Leander asked. He uttered an incantation as the surrounding djamphire bowed their heads.

Remembrances of the past be hidden,

Replace them, re-shape them, all memories forgiven.

The scene washed away as I was pulled into the present moment. I found myself lying on the floor of the classroom, looking up at the ceiling. I didn't know how I wound up on the ground. I just hoped I didn't give myself a concussion when I landed.

I sat up and folded my legs into my chest. I felt better as I curled my form into a tight ball.

I clutched the watch in my hands and realized I'd known my own flesh and blood for months… Nadira was Aunt Nadira. She was family and I didn't even know it. Leander knew the truth, but he didn't say anything. Everyone's memories were erased for the good of the new svetocha, Elizabeth. Nadira sacrificed her identity for her little sister's future. But was it the right thing to do? I can't say if it was or wasn't. All I know is, I have family… Nadira. However, now that Leander is gone, I'm the only one that knows the truth.

In the morning, I sat in a briefing meeting with August and Benjamin to discuss the selection process for my security detail. The process was complex and I understood it was nothing less than a serious event. The posts were considered a lifetime commitment. There were only a few ways out of the job, one of which included having an intimate relationship with the assigned svetocha.

I'd heard that Anna went through dozens of guards because she either compromised their judgment by starting a relationship with one of them or she dismissed them because she couldn't manipulate them any longer. In my case I'd hoped to avoid any inappropriate behavior with my guards.

"There are a number of qualified candidates that you should find appealing, Milady." Benjamin was obviously proud of the work he'd completed thus far.

"That's good to hear. What's the selection process look like anyways?" I was curious about the testing and especially about my involvement.

August spoke up and shared his past experience with the process. He once was a guard for my mother, which he was proud of. The position ended when Beth's untimely death happened, which was August's most agonizing moment of his life. Losing a svetocha under your protection was considered a failure as a guardsman. I understood it took nearly a decade for August to accept that what happened wasn't his fault. Even then, he stayed away from the Order and the scholas to avoid being reminded of his deep loss.

"The application process is now closed, Dru. There are thirty candidates who will be tested for intelligence, physical strength, martial arts abilities and mental stability."

"Excuse me? Did you say mental stability? What does that mean… like whether they're bananas or not?" I was shocked to hear about the depth of the process.

"Something like that." Benjamin mumbled as he tried to downplay my fears. "Your security is the most important thing to us, Milady. We will be testing the candidates in every way we can think of because you are an asset. No one can get close to you without us guaranteeing your personal security 100 percent." He feigned a cough and cleared his throat a bit before continuing. "We don't want a repeat of events given what happened with Leon."

"No, not another Leon." My voice trailed off in a sad way.

"There is something you should know about one of the candidates, Dru." August continued.

"Yeah, what's that?" I was curious.

"Ash… he applied." August spoke with hesitation and concern in his voice.

"What?" I was caught off guard and totally in disbelief. "My Ash? No, he wouldn't do that? He can't sign up to be my employee. He's like a brother to me. That's not right." I waved my arms excitedly in the air.

"Well, he did, Dru girl. What are you going to do?" August seemed to agree that Ash wasn't a good fit for the post.

"I'm going to stop him from going forward, that's what I'm gonna do. He just can't. I won't hire him. End of story." I got up from my chair, marched out of the meeting room and down the hallway on a mission to find Ash.

I rounded a corner with svetocha speed without looking first. I ran face first into a broad shouldered chest in a tightly fitted dress shirt. "Umph!" I rebounded off the chest and before fallling to the floor, caught my balance and pivoted back onto my two solid feet. My Chucks squeaked on the wood flooring.

"Wow, one day with your arms and legs back and you're already running down hallways. Where are you headed?" I hadn't seen Graves in nearly eight hours, which was the longest we'd been apart since I got injured.

"Um, sorry. I'm on my way to find Ash. Know where I can find him?"

"No but wait a sec, Dru. I need to talk to you. We have to discuss this... us... especially now that you're well again." I was hoping to avoid the discussion about the fact that he said the L-word to me a few weeks ago. I didn't say it back but I knew how I felt. No doubt, I was in love with him too. But the chances of us being happy together was so ridiculous. Wasn't it?

Okay let's do this, Dru. I sighed and took a step back. "Have you talked to Jae-Hwa lately, Graves?"

"About us, you mean?"

"Yes, about this. She's your match. How can you go around pretending that's not relevant?"

"I'm not pretending at all, dammit. I'm just telling you how I feel. If you love me, we can deal with this. I'm not a stupid romantic, I'm a realist. And we are special together. That counts a whole lot in my book. Just don't pull away, Dru. Give me a chance." Graves looked at his leather strapped watch. "Shit, I'm late for a meeting with my advisors. I gotta go. Meet you for dinner later, okay?" Graves leaned in and gave me a peck on my lips, which was totally unexpected.

The wulfen turned and took off down the west corridor. I stood there and watched him walk away. That view triggered a memory that made my cheeks flush in addition to my aspect.


End file.
